Norwich department heads defend staffing levels

Wednesday

Jun 5, 2013 at 12:01 AMJun 5, 2013 at 5:02 AM

Several department heads have joined the chorus of rank-and-file workers in calling on aldermen to avoid mass layoffs in next year’s budget, warning that the loss of staff will cripple the city’s ability to provide core services.

Adam Benson

Several department heads have joined the chorus of rank-and-file workers in calling on aldermen to avoid mass layoffs in next year’s budget, warning that the loss of staff will cripple the city’s ability to provide core services.

In starkly worded emails to City Manager Alan Bergren, Public Works chief Barry Ellison, Human Services Director Bev Goulet, Emergency Management Director Gene Arters, Recreation Director C. Roger Moss and Planning and Neighborhood Services Director Peter Davis urged the City Council to scuttle an austerity plan that would trim $2.01 million out of the 2013-14 budget by eliminating city 17 jobs.

“I’ve accepted the premise that we’re going to have additional work thrust upon us with no additional compensation or additional staff, but I have to have a sufficient management team to make it all work,” Ellison wrote on May 30 in defending the need to keep a $70,744 a year streets and parks foreman post — one of two in his department. “I can’t see us being able to assist with community events nearly to the level we presently do. It’s foremen who meet with these groups and make the preparations to make them go smoothly.”

Davis expressed similar concerns about the possible loss of two employees in his department — Blight Enforcement Office Joe Martin and either an administrative or code enforcement secretary.

“The loss of these two positions cripples the blight and housing programs to the extent that they will essentially be ineffective,” Davis told Bergren. “If the building department secretary is out for vacation, an extended illness, etc., I will have no coverage in that department unless I pull an inspector out of the field.”

On Monday, the City Council heard nearly three hours of testimony from employees and residents. The council will vote on the budget June 10.

Bergren’s proposed $116.5 million budget includes a tax increase of 5.16 percent.

Alderwoman Deb Hinchey, a Democrat running for mayor, said she is against a tax increase of that size, but she’s not prepared to authorize a wave of layoffs to lower the burden.

“I haven’t decided how much of that I can accept,” she said. “I’m not ruling anything out and if it has to be, it has to be. This was a proposal to see what the public thought of it.”

City leaders hope an infusion of state aid included in a $44 billion biennium budget approved by the General Assembly Monday night may stave off deep staffing cuts. Bergren said Comptroller Joseph Ruffo and his staff are reviewing details of the state budget to determine how much money could come into Norwich.

Moss, whose $78,302 position may be combined with Senior Center Director Michael Wolak, offered an extensive list of impacts that could come from zeroing out his job.

Vicki Abele, Moss’s administrative assistant, is also in danger of being laid off.

Norwich’s summer camp program begins June 24. Eliminating Moss and his secretary would lead to questions over processing the payroll for the 25 camp employees, difficulties in arranging transportation for campers and processing bills and invoices, Moss wrote to Bergren.

Moss’ department also handles reservations for using the city’s fields and scheduling for leagues and produces in-house program booklets for fall and winter programs.

“On a personal note — I have dedicated myself to the city of Norwich for the past year that I have worked here. It has been my goal to improve the services offered, repair damaged relationships and improve the operation of the department. This proposal to cut the recreation department tells me I have failed,” he wrote to Bergren.

Alderman Tucker Braddock Jr. said he doesn’t want to see any city worker lose a job, but is concerned about straining taxpayers.

“I’m hoping the numbers we have in front of us (from the state) will give us a better idea of what we’re going to do with people’s lives,” he said. “I think we have a responsibility to the employees who have been loyal to us and we don’t want to give them away. They’re very important to us, so we have to come up with a solution to spend those tax dollars wisely and keep as many jobs as we can.”